Melanie Latham

For several years I have been interested in how regulators can enhance rather than diminish the autonomy of their citizens through legislation.

I worked originally in Political Science, moving on to Law and Society, and published ‘Regulating Reproduction: a century of conflict in Britain and France’, (MUP, 2002) which looked at the influence of feminist, medical and religious interest groups on the development of reproductive rights in twentieth century Britain and France. My research interests have become delineated by ideas around autonomy, rights and gender and are focussed currently upon the regulation of cosmetic surgery and patient autonomy.

I see cosmetic surgery as an increasingly popular medical treatment for women that can pose challenges for ideas around culture and agency. I wish to see governments recognising these challenges and empowering patients. I am also researching in the fields of body modification, aesthetics, feminist ethics, nanotechnology regulation, and climate change. I have recently published in these areas: (2008) ‘The Shape of Things to Come: Feminism, Regulation and Cosmetic Surgery’, Medical Law Review vol 16 issue 3 pp. 437-457; (2010) ‘A poor prognosis for autonomy: self-regulated cosmetic surgery in the United Kingdom’, Reproductive Health Matters vol 18 no. 35 pp. 47-55; (2011) ‘Cosmetic Surgery’ in Ruth Chadwick (ed. in chief) Encyclopedia of Applied Ethics, 2nd Edition (Academic Press); and (2013) ‘Nanomedicine and Body Modification: Critical Perspectives’ in M.Cutter and B.Gordijn (eds.), In Pursuit of Nanoethics: Transatlantic reflections on nanotechnology (Springer).